York College/CUNY
Summer Jazz Program '08
June 30 - August 7, 2008
(Mondays - Thursdays / 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.)
Tom Zlabinger, director

Summer Jazz Institute performing at the Louis Armstrong House on his 105^th birthday, August 4, 2006

Summer Jazz Institute performing at Jamaica Arts & Music Summer Festival on August 5, 2006

Established in 2005, the York College Summer Jazz Program is a tuition-free program for New York City public high school sophomores and juniors sponsored by College Now. Students earn five college credits over six weeks while studying jazz history, jazz performance and music theory. There are at least three performances by the summer band: an evening performance for parents, a graduation performance on the last day, and a performance at the Louis Armstrong House on Satchmo's Birthday! The Summer Jazz Program is a unique opportunity, providing professional training for young jazz musicians. Come experience what it is like to work in a professional band and study on a college campus!!! Not only will students grow as musicians, this scholarship program looks great on any resume and is great preparation for college.

For additional information on SJP '08, go to: http://www.myspace.com/yorkcollegesummerjazzprogram

REQUIREMENTS: Students must have basic proficiency on a big band instrument (alto/tenor/bari sax, trumpet, trombone, piano, bass, drums/percussion), horn players and bass players must provide their own instruments, and everyone MUST be able to read music. No previous jazz experience necessary, but it helps!

Applications are due Monday, May 5th, 2008. Students who are interested should fill out the application, indicate their instrument, and mail it to my attention at the address below. Auditions will be held at York College in late May.

Tom Zlabinger
York College Summer Jazz Program
94-20 Guy R Brewer Blvd #1A12
Jamaica, NY 11451
(718) 262-2412

TOM ZLABINGER is an instructor of music and the director of The Jazz Workshop and The Blue Notes at York College/CUNY. He is a professional bass player and an ethnomusicologist with an interest in jazz. He holds a B.A. in music from Grinnell College and an M.A. in jazz performance from Queens College/CUNY. His bass teachers include Bob Anderson (Minnesota Orchestra), Terry Burns, Anthony Cox, Leon Lee Dorsey, Mark Dresser, and Henry Grimes. Over the years he has shared the stage with Richard Augustin, Glenn Branca, Daniel Carter, Lukas Foss, Eddie Gale, Wycliffe Gordon, Antonio Hart, Oliver Lake, Emeline Michel, Butch Morris, Arturo O'Farrill, H. Robert Reynolds, Steve Turre, Ray Vega, Lenny White, and Rachel Z. He has performed at 5C Cultural Center, ABC No Rio, the Brecht Forum, Carnegie Hall, Goodbye Blue Monday, Gramercy Theatre (Off-Broadway's From My Hometown), the Lincoln Center, the Lion's Den, The Living Theatre, Otto's Shrunken Head, Smoke, Stain, and Trinity Church. He is currently completing a Ph.D. in ethnomusicology at the CUNY Graduate Center.

Here's a personal greeting from me! (80K .wav)

IMPRESSIONS (1.2MB MP3)
recorded at Music Tech in Minneapolis, MN on June 24, 1998 with Bob Stanton (guitar) & George Marich (drums)

(Updated February 18, 2008)